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The towns of Lamont and Arvin have long been population centers for the southern valley. Agriculture and related business were, and currently are, the primary industries located in the Lamont response area, with oil production/processing being second. In 1960 the City of Arvin incorporated and formed its own police department. The township of Lamont remains unincorporated.
The Lamont Substation response area encompasses 850 square miles.
The Lamont Substation’s response area includes a vast and isolated agricultural area, remote business locations, and the unincorporated township of Lamont. The Lamont Substation is responsible for providing law enforcement services to the residents and businesses located throughout this almost 500 sq. mile area. The Lamont Substation is also responsible for the security of the Kern County Superior Court-Arvin/Lamont Branch, which includes protection of judicial officers/court staff, the safety of court visitors and the security of inmates in the Court Holding Unit. The Lamont Substation also operates a Temporary Holding Facility in the same complex.
The Lamont Substation is authorized 1 Sergeant, 3 Senior Deputies, 19 Deputy Sheriffs, and 2 Office Services Technicians. The substation is also supplemented with an active Citizen Service Unit.
Sergeant Mike Dunham is the Lamont Substation supervisor. The Lamont Substation is and has historically been one of the busiest substations in the entire county. Narcotic/gang-related criminal activity and graffiti have been noticeable. The Lamont Substation has been proactive and aggressive in their response to this activity through a variety of ways, including:
Multi-Agency Criminal Apprehension Sweeps: Senior Deputy John Money is the coordinator of these sweeps, which have each resulted in a significant number of arrests. The sweeps are conducted frequently and involve a floating number of agencies, such as: ICE, State Parole, HIDTA, KNET, GSU, Probation, and Arvin PD. Narcotic and gang-related activity is the primary target.
Lamont Gang Liaison: Deputies Richard Garcia, Brandon Rutledge and John Coleman are assigned as the substation Gang Liaison Team. This team coordinates their information and activity with the Sheriff’s Gang Suppression Unit. Deputy Marco Vazquez is also part of the team focusing on graffiti investigations.
Community Resource Officer: Deputy Marco Vazquez is the Lamont Community Resource Officer. This position works with all of the schools located in and around Lamont. This position is NOT a contracted Safe Schools position, but performs many of the same functions, without being tethered to a particular school for a specific period of time. This position, along with Sergeant Dunham, also attend a number of the public meetings held in Lamont, representing local law enforcement and serving as a community conduit of information back to the Lamont Substation.
Lamont Bicycle Patrol Unit: Several years ago the Lamont Substation had a large and active Bicycle Patrol Unit. Over time, trained personnel have transferred out effectively eliminating the unit due to the lack of trained personnel. The Lamont Substation retained the ten (10) bicycles, which were recently refurbished with the intent of reactivating the unit. Senior Deputy Doug Wilson recently completed the bicycle instructor course and coordinates Bicycle Patrol operations. Currently eight (8) deputies serve in the Lamont Bicycle Patrol Unit.
Lamont Citizen Services Unit: Senior Deputy John Money is the coordinator of the Lamont Citizen Services Unit. Much like the Lamont Bicycle Patrol Unit, this program was almost extinct. Now the unit has ten (10) active members. Unique to this substation is their involvement in graffiti abatement. CSU Member Raul Rocha coordinates with Deputy Vazquez in eradicating (repainting over) graffiti as soon as possible.
Lamont Sheriff’s Activities League (SAL): Senior Deputy John Money is the Lamont Substation’s representative to the Sheriff’s SAL Program. Through Senior Deputy Money, the Lamont Substation has been an active participator in various community and school programs in the Lamont area.
The most interesting part of these “special” assignments is that these are done as collateral assignments. Each of the personnel listed above perform these functions in addition to their normal patrol (and or investigative) assignments. |